Laundry Care for Your Sexy Lingerie

Taking care of your sexy lingerie as you would take care of any other quality garment is very important. Your goal should be to make it last as long as possible. What this means is that your lingerie needs to be treated differently than you would treat your regular garments. Always check the label on your lingerie for proper washing instructions.

The best method is to hand-wash all your lingerie in cold water. Hot washing could shrink your lingerie, especially satin lingerie by 10% to 20%. When washing bras, panties, nightgowns and any other lingerie, it's best to use using a mild detergent like Woolite. You should let them soak for about 3 minutes. Some regular detergents contain extremely harsh chemicals that can damage your lingerie.

However, most lingerie (as recommended) can be machine washed:

Lingerie Laundry Tips

When machine washing is recommended, wash on the delicate cycle with other delicate fabrics.

For machine washable bras, fasten hooks and eyes to avoid tangling and place them in a Lingerie Wash Bag. The mesh bag will help keep the bras from being wrapped around the agitator. It protects your bra from being stretched out and if your bra is under wired, it protects the under wire from being twisted and puncturing the bra material.

Wash your hosiery separately as bra hooks and fastenings can catch.

Do not wring lingerie. Wringing, even hand wringing, can cause wrinkles and creases which may be difficult to get out. It is better to gently squeeze out the excess water or press the garment between two clean, dry towels to remove the excess water and then allow the garment to drip dry.

Line drying or drip dry is always the best choice since a hot dryer shortens the life of the fabric. The heat of the dryer breaks down lycra, spandex and elastic. However, if you use the dryer, set the controls on delicate or even air dry.

Silk should be hand washed in cold water and dried flat. Wash colors separately. Do not bleach lingerie.

Remember, if in doubt, read the label. If it says “Dry Clean Only”, there is a reason!